Incoming: DAM 1/6 Delta Force Marksman, Task Force Ranger, Op Gothic Serpent, 1993 Somalia

Already this figure is winning praises from many quarters, not just for the variety and quality of parts but most importantly because DAM Toys has managed to do what some big companies cannot and that is, COMPLETE the series. DAM has been able to finish what they started, which is more than can be said for some companies that turn tail and run the moment they hit a small bump.

Continuing from the previous post, DAM has revealed their last figure in the six-figure set of Task Force Ranger, Op Gothic Serpent, 1993 Somalia. The final 12-inch figure is a 1/6th scale Delta Force Marksman and he is meant to be Johnny Strong as SFC Randy Shughart, a Delta Force Marksman flying on Black Hawk Super Six-Two in the film "Black Hawk Down (2001)", an American drama war film depicting the Battle of Mogadishu, a raid integral to the United States' effort to capture Somali warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid.

Sergeant First Class Randall David Shughart (August 13, 1958–October 3, 1993) was a soldier in the United States Army special operations unit, the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (1SFOD-D), or "Delta Force." Shughart posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Mogadishu in October 1993. [source: wiki]

Preview DAM 1/6 Delta Force Support Rifleman, Task Force Ranger, Op Gothic Serpent, Somalia

DAM Toys is on the roll. Right after announcing that they will be releasing their FOURTH Black Hawk Down / Operation Gothic Serpent 12-inch figure (see pictures HERE) which is a Delta Force Sergeant First Class just late last week, they have gone and revealed pictures of their FIFTH Task Force Ranger figure and it's another Delta - this time it's a 1/6 scale DELTA Force Support Rifleman from Task Force Ranger, Op Gothic Serpent, Somalia 1993.

Operation Gothic Serpent was a military operation conducted by special operations forces of the United States with the primary mission of capturing warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid. The operation took place in Somalia, Africa from August to October 1993 and was supervised by the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). As part of the operation, the soldiers were deployed in a mission to arrest two of Aidid's lieutenants. The result of that mission – executed under the command of Gothic Serpent – became known as the Battle of Mogadishu, or "The Battle of the Black Sea" to those who fought in it.

On 8 August, Aidid's militia detonated a remote controlled bomb against an American military vehicle, first killed four American soldiers and then, two weeks later, injured seven more. In response, President Bill Clinton approved the proposal to deploy a special task force composed of 400 US Army Rangers and Delta-force Commandos. This unit, named Task Force Ranger, consisted of 160 elite US troops. They flew to Mogadishu and began a manhunt for Aidid.

Preview Flirty Girl Collectibles 1:6 scale EMERSON Female Action Figure Set

Text is taken from SMcG Customs who has been working side by side with Flirty Girl Collectibles with several of the up coming products including this very first release from them. Just a side note: This set is actually shown on a Triad Toys ALPHA body just in case you needed to know.

Flirty Girl Collectibles is a new brand of 1:6 scale collectibles and their goal is to offer a fresh new take on female clothing and accessories. They will offer full character sets, clothing accessory sets as well as some basic weapondry essentials.

EMERSON is the first release from Flirty Girl Collectibles. This full 1/6 scale character set comes complete with everything she will need to survive her daily travels in her world gone wrong.

EMERSON was designed to be compatible with TTL, TRIAD Toys, PHICEN and Cy Girl / Takara style bodes. NO 12-inch FEMALE BODY OR HANDS WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE SET. You get just the 1/6th scale female head sculpt and all the other items.

The passing of a Master - "Star Wars" designer Ralph McQuarrie has died at age 82

Taken from CBS News:
Ralph McQuarrie, the artist whose conceptual paintings were instrumental in designing the landmark "Star Wars" films, has died at age 82. The announcement was made on his official website, ralphmcquarrie.com.

A commercial artist and designer whose career included stints at Boeing and Kaiser Graphic Arts and creating animations of Apollo space flights for CBS News, McQuarrie created the concept art that was crucial in winning 20th Century Fox's approval to put George Lucas' "Star Wars" in production.

Click for a bigger and better view

The success of his "Star Wars" paintings launched a late feature film career for McQuarrie that included helping design such classics as "Raiders of the Lost Ark," "E.T.: The Extra-terrestrial," "Back to the Future," "Cocoon," "Total Recall," and the original TV series "Battlestar Galactica."

"I am deeply saddened by the passing of such a visionary artist and such a humble man," George Lucas said in a statement. "Ralph McQuarrie was the first person I hired to help me envision Star Wars. His genial contribution, in the form of unequaled production paintings, propelled and inspired all of the cast and crew of the original 'Star Wars' trilogy. When words could not convey my ideas, I could always point to one of Ralph's fabulous illustrations and say, 'Do it like this.'"

"In many ways, he was a generous father to a conceptual art revolution that was born of his artwork, and which seized the imaginations of thousands and propelled them into the film industry. In that way, we will all be benefiting from his oeuvre for generations to come," Lucas said.

"Beyond that, I will always remember him as a kind and patient, and wonderfully talented, friend and collaborator."

Review 1: InFlames / HeadPlay 1/6 scale Metal Boss 12-inch Collectible Figure BDU Version

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (メタルギアソリッド3 スネーク・イーター Metaru Gia Soriddo Surī Sunēku Ītā, commonly abbreviated to MGS3) is an award-winning stealth action video game directed by Hideo Kojima. Set in the Cold War-era Soviet Union, the story centers on FOX operative Naked Snake as he attempts to rescue a weapons designer and sabotage an experimental super-weapon. While previous games were set in a primarily urban environment, Snake Eater adopts a 1960s Soviet jungle setting, with the high tech, near-future trappings of previous Metal Gear Solid games being replaced with the wilderness.

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, a prequel to the previous games set three decades prior to the events of the original Metal Gear in 1964, introduces a young Big Boss as a former Green Beret under the codename "Naked Snake". Naked Snake is virtually identical to Solid Snake from the previous Metal Gear Solid games in terms of appearance.

The protagonist of Snake Eater, Naked Snake known as Big Boss in subsequent games (voiced by Akio Ōtsuka in Japanese and David Hayter in English), is a former U.S. Special Forces (Green Beret) and CIA operative.

Preview KUMIK KB001 1/6th scale Charlie the Tramp 12-inch collectible figure, not Sheen

Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE (16 April 1889 – 25 December 1977) was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I. Chaplin used mime, slapstick and other visual comedy routines, and continued well into the era of the talkies, though his films decreased in frequency from the end of the 1920s. His most famous role was that of The Tramp, which he first played in the Keystone comedy Kid Auto Races at Venice in 1914.

Chaplin's "tramp" character is possibly the most imitated on all levels of entertainment. Chaplin once entered a "Chaplin look-alike" competition and did not make the final round.

Incoming: DAM 1/6 Delta Force Sgt 1st Class, Task Force Ranger, Op Gothic Serpent, Somalia

The company might have changed its name but it hasn't changed its focus, not like some other company which can't even get a platoon together ;p DAM (previously known as VTS) will be releasing their fourth Task Force Ranger 12-inch figure soon and this time it is based on Eric Bana as SFC Norm "Hoot" Gibson (based on real-life combatants from Delta Force - SFC John Macejunas, SFC Norm Hooten and SFC Matthew Rierson) from "Black Hawk Down", the 2001 American drama war film depicting the Battle of Mogadishu, which was part of Operation Gothic Serpent and was fought on October 3 and 4, 1993, in Somalia, between forces of the United States, supported by UNOSOM II, and Somali militia fighters loyal to the self-proclaimed president-to-be Mohamed Farrah Aidid who had support from armed civilian fighters.

Task Force Ranger consisted of C Squadron, 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (1st SFOD-D) — aka "Delta Force" + Bravo Company, 3rd Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment + 1st Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) (The Night Stalkers) with MH-6J and AH-6 "Little Birds" and MH-60 A/L Black Hawks + Combat Controllers and Pararescuemen from the USAF 24th Special Tactics Squadron + Naval Special Warfare Development Group (Five Navy SEAL operators) + CVN-72 USS Abraham Lincoln & Carrier Air Wing 11

In the film "Black Hawk Down" based on the book of the same name by Mark Bowden which had detailed accounts given by the actual people on the ground, Eric Bana stars as Delta Force operator SFC Norm "Hoot" Gibson (based on SFC John Macejunas, SFC Norm Hooten and SFC Matthew Rierson). This is the 1/6 scale Delta Force Sergeant First Class 12-inch figure from Task Force Ranger of Operation Gothic Serpent (circa 1993 Somalia) that will be released by DAM Toys.

Medicom Toy RAH DX 1/6 scale Masked Rider The Bee (Rider Form) 12-inch Action Figure

Kamen Rider TheBee (仮面ライダーザビー Kamen Raidā Zabī) is one of the characters in Kamen Rider Kabuto. It is based on a bee / wasp motif. Kamen Rider Kabuto (仮面ライダーカブト Kamen Raidā Kabuto, Masked Rider Kabuto) is a Japanese tokusatsu superhero television series. It is the sixteenth installment in the popular Kamen Rider Series of tokusatsu programs. Similar to the Hopper Riders, it relies on close-range combat because of the lack of any weapons.

The TheBee Zecter (ザビーゼクター Zabī Zekutā) allows its user to transform into Kamen Rider TheBee. As with all of the Zecters, TheBee has two basic forms that the user can transform into.

Masked Form
TheBee's Masked Form (マスクドフォーム Masukudo Fōmu) is a heavily armored form resembling a beehive that has very little offensive capabilities. This is the default form that TheBee transforms into, until the user rotates the TheBee Zecter around its wrist mounting to initiate the Cast Off (キャストオフ Kyasuto Ofu) command.

Hot Toys "Platoon" 1/6 scale Chris Taylor 12-inch Collectible Figure review (poor man's version)

This is the Hot Toys "Platoon" 1/6 scale Charlie Sheen as Chris Taylor head sculpt and body wearing the Sideshow Collectibles 1/6 scale Private Chris Taylor outfit and gear. I didn't want to pay for a whole new boxed figure when I already have the Sideshow version so I ended up just picking up the 1/6 scale head sculpt instead. The only thing that says Hot Toys is the head and 12-inch body.

"Platoon" is a 1986 American war film written and directed by Oliver Stone and stars Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe and Charlie Sheen. It is the first of Stone's Vietnam War trilogy, followed by 1989's "Born on the Fourth of July" and 1993's "Heaven & Earth".

After his tour of duty in Vietnam ended in 1968, Oliver Stone wrote a screenplay called Break: a semi-autobiographical account detailing his experiences with his parents and his time in Vietnam. Stone's return from active duty in Vietnam resulted in a "big change" in how he viewed life and the war, and the unproduced screenplay Break was the result, and it eventually provided the basis for Platoon.

Hot Toys announces Batman Arkham City 1/6 scale Collectibles Coming Soon - Really?

Hoy Toys latest announcement:
After seeing many collectibles from our Movie Masterpiece Series, we are proud to present the Batman Arkham City license from the Videogame Series now!

Glad to share with the Batman fans on the behind-the-scenes prototype making of the 1/6th scale Batman Collectible Figure from this video game! Please stay tuned with our update!

Click on the pictures for a bigger and better view :)

Arkham City features a large ensemble cast of characters from the history of Batman comics. Returning characters from Arkham Asylum include Batman (Kevin Conroy), the Joker (Mark Hamill)—in what Hamill claimed would be his final time voicing the character—Warden-turned-Mayor Quincy Sharp (Tom Kane), police Commissioner James Gordon (voiced by David Kaye, who replaces Kane), and Jack Ryder (James Horan). Returning villains include the Riddler (Wally Wingert), Victor Zsasz (Danny Jacobs), Bane, and Poison Ivy (Tasia Valenza). Joker's sidekick Harley Quinn also returns, voiced by Tara Strong, who replaces Arleen Sorkin. Playable characters introduced for Arkham City include Nightwing, Robin, and Catwoman (Grey DeLisle).

Pre-order Medicom Toys 1/6 scale Gantz Reika Shimohira 12-inch Female Action Figure

Gantz (ガンツ Gantsu) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hiroya Oku. Gantz tells the story of Kei Kurono and his friend Masaru Kato who die in a train accident and become part of a semi-posthumous "game" in which they and several other recently deceased people are forced to hunt down and kill aliens armed with a handful of futuristic items of equipment and weaponry.

Reika Shimohira (下平 玲花 Shimohira Reika) is a beautiful, young and popular idol. Like almost everyone else, she is caught in the line of fire during Izumi's killing spree in Shinjuku. She develops a crush on Kurono after seeing him in action during her first night as a participant in the game. Surprisingly enough, she proves to be a formidable opponent against the Aliens.

Review II: Hasbro G.I. Joe Sigma 6 Ninja Commando Snake Eyes Action Figure

continued from previous post....

More Sigma 6 Snake Eyes goodness :) Here's Hasbro G.I. Joe Sigma 6 Ninja Commando Snake Eyes Action Figure wearing the "visual data system with telescopic headgear" which I'd mentioned previously that it looks very much like the 'trifocal goggles' Sam Fisher wears in Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell. All you need to do is paint the middle lens a florescent green instead of black.

G.I. Joe: Sigma 6 is a line of military-themed action figures and toys produced by Hasbro, re-imagining the characters of the 1980s toyline, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. Back in 2005, Hasbro released a line of G.I. Joe: Sigma 6 toys based the "Sigma 6" animated series. Although similar in concept to the earlier G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, the Sigma 6 action figures were 8" in height rather than the smaller 3¾" scale figures of the A Real American Hero line.

Hasbro was "rebooting" the franchise with younger versions of the cast - similar but different to their 1980s namesakes - rendered in the popular anime style. Snake Eyes comes with three different masks so that you can gear up Snake Eyes for each different mission.

Review 1: Hasbro G.I. Joe Sigma 6 Ninja Commando Snake Eyes Action Figure

Remember how I mentioned that the world is just fascinated with ninjas (see earlier post) and how ninjas are on TV, in books and comics, and have even made it onto the big screen? There are even super ninjas and one of them belongs to the special team known as G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero!

"A Real American Hero" was brought about as a revival of the original 12 in (30 cm) G.I. Joe brand of the 1960s and '70s. After the 12" figure had been absent from toy shelves for a few years, G.I. Joe was re-introduced in a 3 3/4-inch (9.53 cm) action figure format following the success of the Star Wars and Micronauts 3 3/4" scale toylines.

This is Snake Eyes from the G.I. Joe: Sigma 6 line of military-themed action figures and toys produced by Hasbro, re-imagining the characters of the 1980s toyline, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. The Sigma 6 toy line allowed Hasbro to depart from the classic 3 ¾-inch format of the A Real American Hero series of the 1980s; most Sigma 6 action figures stand at approximately 8 inches (200 mm) and have more articulation.

There's a new sheriff in town and his name is Space Sheriff Gavan by Medicom Toys

Space Sheriff Gavan (宇宙刑事ギャバン Uchū Keiji Gyaban) is the first of the Metal Hero Series. It aired on TV Asahi from 5 March 1982 through February 25, 1983. For distribution purposes, Toei refers to this television series as Space Cop Gaban.

Earth is invaded by the Makuu Empire (literally "demon space"), led by Don Horror, who had first destroyed a space colony near Earth. Space Sheriff Gavan from the Galactic Union Police (銀河連邦警察 Ginga Renpō Keisatsu), arrives in his spaceship, the Dolgiran. He comes from the Bird Planet, the planet where Space Sheriffs are trained and where they are stationed while on call. Gavan is asked to defend the Earth, which is his mother's planet of origin. [source: wiki]

Medicom Toys RAH (Real Action Heroes) Darth Vader version 2.0 - Be prepared to get "Sithed"!

You don't know the power of the Dark Side! In this case, the "dark side" and full of sith (oops, misspelling) is NOT Darth Vader but Medicom Toys! When will they ever learn? The Medicom RAH (Real Action Heroes) Darth Vader version 2.0 is still only 320mm tall (still NOT 1/6 scale and accurate) and will probably come with bio-degradable pleather material which disintegrates over time so that by the time the figure has gone to pieces on you, it'll be time for version 3.0 - how timely Medicom releases their figures, don't you think? For many of us who have suffered the Medicom "mediocre" curse (small scale, wrong size, high price, bio-degradable materials used for costumes and outfits, easily breakable brittle bodies - did I mention HIGH price?), it's once bitten forever shy! And believe you me, I've been bitten all over and it's not pretty at all!! So you know I'll be shying away from this purchase!

Consider this a fair and gentle reminder. If you want to take the chance, by all means but don't say you were not warned.

Let's see what Mediocre (I mean Medicom) is coming up with this time round to get people (especially unknowing Star Wars collectors and fans) to part with their hard earned money.

Preview Hot Toys MMS170 1989 Batman Movie 1/6th scale Batmobile Collectible Vehicle

Right after I'd posted pictures of Hot Toys 1/6 scale Tim Burton 1989 Batman Batmobile (NOT the 2005 Tumbler) in the previous post, official preview pictures have just been released by Hot Toys. Talk about timing haha.

Hot Toys is proud to present the 1/6th scale Batmobile Collectible Vehicle featuring the likeness and details of the Batmobile from the "Batman (1989)" movie directed by Tim Burton.

The Hot Toys 1/6th scale MMS Series (Movie Masterpiece Series) Batmobile Collectible Vehicle specially features: Authentically detailed 1/6th scale model car measuring Approximately 39” L x 16” W x 9” H and in Perfect scale to Hot Toys "Batman (1989)" 1/6th scale Batman Collectible Figure.

Pictures of Hot Toys 1/6 scale Tim Burton 1989 Batman Batmobile, NOT the 2005 Tumbler

Here are some pictures that have surfaced of the upcoming Hot Toys 1/6 scale Tim Burton 1989 Batman and 1992 Batman Returns Batmobile, including a magazine scan of the features that will be found on this particular version of the Batmobile. Tim Burton's live-action films Batman and Batman Returns presented a different version of the Batmobile, which reflected that film's Art Deco version of Gotham City, both of which were designed by Anton Furst. It was long, low and sleek, and was built on a Chevy Impala chassis.

The Hot Toys 1989 Batman Batmobile will measure approximately 39" in Length X 16" wide x 9" high and is designed in perfect scale with the 1989 Batman 12-inch figure. It features 2 headlights, 4 taillights and Interior light-up function.

It also has a Functional sliding door for Batman to get in and out of the vehicle, has two seats, a detailed Cockpit instrument panel, two machine guns (Browning machine guns were hidden behind flaps in each fender), Batdiscs (in the movie, a side-mounted batdisc ejector could fire precisely 15 Batdiscs in the 1-second pulse), detachable side hook (Its Grappling hook - once hooked on a structure, serves as an anchor to allow the batmobile to make an extremely sharp turn at high speed that its pursuers typically cannot duplicate), detachable side planes (chassis-mounted shin breakers), detachable base (central "foot" capable of lifting the car and rotating it 180°).

Yet another Steve Jobs 1/6 action figure: they're calling it iCEO - custom SJ figure with computer

This is yet another attempt at cashing in on the late Apple founder's fame. This iCEO 1/6 scale Steve Jobs lookalike 12-inch figure has just been revealed on the forums and is supposed to come with iPad, iPhone, Macbook and iMac with a mouse and keyboard. You know what? iSmell trouble. This one looks a lot less like Steve Jobs and a lot more like an impostor ;p After what the other company went through with Apple's lawyers and legal team, you would've thought they'll be running scared by now. We'll just have to wait and see if this ever sees the light of day.

Scroll down to see the pre-release / preview pictures of 1/6 scale SJ (for Steve Jobs) 12-inch action figure. It's too bad the other company's 1/6 Steve Jobs figure deal fell through. Now that would have been something to talk about and showcase.

Such a tease: Hot Toys offers collectors a glimpse of their 1/6 scale "Avengers" line-up!

From Hot Toys: "Following the great response of the announcement of Nick Fury from The Avengers (see previous post), one of our largest campaigns this year, we believe that our fans just can’t wait to have a glimpse of the other members of the team!

Glad to let our fans know that all characters are being developed in good progress now! Fans can expect the news of the collectibles of the characters from time to time before the movie launches! Please stay tuned!

On a side note, Hot Toys did give us a glimpse of their line-up of "Platoon" 12-inch figures too ;p Look how that panned out... A lot of people are still waiting for their Hot Toys 1/6 scale Platoon figures since a platoon is NOT made up of just two guys right?

Preview Crazy Owners Black Ninja and Camouflage Ninja Weapons & Uniform / Outfit

The world's fascination with ninjas never cease and 1/6 scale Action Figure collectors are always clamoring for more ninjas to add to their collection :) That's why till today, 1/6 scale companies are still manufacturing 12-inch ninja figures and making money selling them. Even large corporations like Sideshow Collectibles are getting in on the act by producing and releasing 1/6 scale ninja figures under their G.I. Joe line of 12-inch action figures as COBRA ninja warriors.

A ninja (忍者) or shinobi (忍び) was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations. The shinobi, as a specially trained group of spies and mercenaries, appear in the Sengoku or "warring states" period, in the 15th century, but antecedents may have existed in the 14th century, and possibly even the 12th century (Heian or early Kamakura era). [source: wiki]

This will be Crazy Owners next release: A 1/6 scale Black Ninja outfit and accessories set with all the weapons produced in die-cast metal including Wakizashi with metal blade, metal Batliff, Suntetsu, Kunai, Ninja Shogee and Shuriken.

Scroll down to see the camouflage version.

Preview Hot Toys "The Avengers" 1/6 scale Nick Fury Limited Edition 12-inch Collectible Figurine

Hot Toys is proud to present the first limited edition collectible figurine from the upcoming superhero movie "The Avengers" produced by Marvel Studio – 1/6 scale Nick Fury, the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. The movie-accurate 12-inch collectible figure is specially crafted based on the image of Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury in the movie, highlighting the newly developed head sculpt, highly detailed costume, weapons and accessories.

The first Avengers movie 12-inch figure to be released by Hot Toys isn't going to be any of the superheroes but Nick Fury instead. After all, it is Nick Fury and the international agency S.H.I.E.L.D. (The acronym originally stood for Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage, Law-Enforcement Division. It was changed in 1991 to Strategic Hazard Intervention Espionage Logistics Directorate. Within the various films set within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the acronym stands for Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division) who brings together the team of super humans to form The Avengers to help save the Earth from Loki & his various membered army.

Nick Fury appears in several Marvel comic series set in alternate universes, as well as multiple animated films, television shows, and video games based on the comics. The character is portrayed by David Hasselhoff in the 1998 television movie Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. and by Samuel L. Jackson in the 2008 film Iron Man, its 2010 sequel Iron Man 2, the 2011 films Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger, and the upcoming film The Avengers. The Ultimate Marvel version of the character was based on Jackson's appearance and screen persona, well before he was cast in the role.

Monday Blues with Tony Stark, Professor Henry Jones Sr, James Bond and Forrest Gump

This post is called Monday Blues for obvious reasons :) It's Monday and most of us have got the blues. I guess 1/6 action figures are not spared either haha So here are a bunch of them (from left to right: Professor Henry Jones Sr, Tony Stark, Forrest Gump - patially hidden - and James Bond) waiting to catch the bus to go to work, all with their own bags / briefcase. But what's really inside their briefcases? Certainly not just papers. Scroll down to find out ;p

These 12-inch figures are all dressed their best for work in their fine 1/6 scale suits. Sometimes I envy them because they have better looking clothes than me but then again, I wouldn't want to have to put on a suit in the hot and humid climate of Singapore, not even a long sleeve shirt with tie (thank GOD for the invention of the air-conditioning unit).

Pre-order Asmus Toys 1/6 scale Yakuza 5: Of the End "Mad Dog" Majima Goro 12-inch Figure

Yakuza: Dead Souls (龍が如く OF THE END lit. "Like a Dragon Of the End") is an action-adventure video game, developed and published by Sega exclusively for the PlayStation 3. The game is the sixth installment in the Yakuza series.

The game is set during April 2011, when the residents of Kamurocho have become zombies. The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force was called in to contain the outbreak, but were unsuccessful. Now, four men are the town's only hope - the mysterious money-lender Shun Akiyama, feared yakuza and construction company owner "Mad Dog" Goro Majima, the Dragon of Kansai who has finally awoken from a long sleep, Ryuji Goda, and the legendary former yakuza, Kazuma Kiryu.

Asmus Toys is proud to introduce their figure of the blockbaster video game - Yakuza 5: Of the End, "Mad Dog" Mamaji Goro. In collaboration with Kaustic Plastik, Asmus Toys is able to print the tattoos onto a 12-inch body that looks presentable without his shirt / jacket on!

Sideshow Collectibles 1/6 Star Wars 12-inch Infantry Battle Droids Review III "Roger Roger"

continued from previous post...

Because ONE is the loneliest number - that's why Sideshow Collectibles decided to sell the 1/6 scale Infantry Battle Droids as a two-pack set. And for that, I say "Thank you, Sideshow" because these two droids look so much better together :)

During the process of writing the original Star Wars, George Lucas reportedly realized that the story he had written was too vast in scope to be covered in one stand-alone film, and thus, the original film was meant to be the introduction to a much wider story arc that could be covered by sequels if the first film turned out to be successful. The original movie eventually evolved, from being the first movie in the sequence, to a film actually belonging to the second trilogy in the saga. So when Lucas began production of "Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace" in 1997 after he had concluded that the science of movie special effects had advanced to the level of what he wanted for his fourth film in the Saga (16 years after the 1983 premiere of the previous film in the saga, "Return of the Jedi" and 22 years after the first ever Star Wars film), a lot of people (including yours truly) were really excited, to say the least.

The Phantom Menace received mixed reviews from film critics. Some aspects of the scripting were criticized, especially the character of Jar Jar Binks, who was regarded by many members of the older fan community as purely a merchandising opportunity rather than a serious character in the film. I was looking out for the precursor to the Stormtroopers but saw none of that. Instead, these Trade Federation Infantry Battle Droids were the main enemy force in the film. Not really impressive (too thin to be intimidating or threatening) although the Droideka, or Destroyer Droid were a delight to see. The destroyer droids can transform, appearing first in a "wheel" state allowing rapid movements and easy storage, then unfold into insect-like attack-robots with a slow three-legged gait. In their walking state, droidekas have powerful twin blasters on each of their arms, extreme accuracy at close range, and a personal shield generator.

Ever Heard of Madelman from Spain? Maybe you have and maybe you haven't... read on

According to wiki, Madelman was a doll of toy articulated action, made ​​between 1968 and 1983 by Madel Plastic Industries. The first madelman figures were released during Xmas 1968, in a small display box that was later changed to the standard box in 1971. The early madelman figures didn't have feet but rather pegs onto which the boots were fitted. Also, they had what collectors call ‘crystal eyes’, which were hand-painted! [source: ToyNfo.com]

In 1975 / 76, they developed the second madelman figure, which had jointed feet and painted eyes. A female figure was also added to the line. A third body type was released during the last years of Madelman in 1982 / 84.

http://jettcustom.blogspot.com/

Madelman is only about 7 inches or 17cm tall (i.e. approximately 1:11 scale) and after the line ended in 1984, collectors and customizers managed to keep the line going with their great customs. Scroll down to see some amazing customized Madelman figures. Truly works of art.

Incoming: ZCWO 1/6 scale Mens Hommes Vol. 004 Protective Work Wear + Tools Set

You certainly don't see this everyday and I LIKE it :) Two thumbs up to ZCWO for daring to try out new things. There's only so much of 1/6 scale military stuff one can take before one burns out from 12-inch military fatigue. So it's nice when a 1/6 scale company decide to manufacture non-military stuff that is just FUN! Now Tony Stark can have the tools he needs to fix his Iron Man armor or even build a brand new Mark X for the next Avengers movie ;p

ZCWO 1/6 scale Mens Hommes Vol. 004 Protective Work Wear set will come with Hand Tools and a Workshop Scene. There are a lot of 1/6 scale accessories and gear with this set and it certainly looks promising and shows full of potential for kitbashing.

The ZCWO 1/6 scale Mens Hommes Vol. 004 Protective Work Wear set Product List will include Protective Work Wear consisting of Work Coverall, Reflective Vest, Safety Helmet, Safety google, Tools Belt, Cotton Work Gloves, Safety Gloves, White towel and Safety Boots (NOTE: No 12-inch figure and 1/6 scale head is included!)

Review II: Sideshow Collectibles Star Wars 1/6 scale 12-inch Infantry Battle Droid "Roger"

continued from the previous post...

In this toy blog post, I'll be posting more pictures of the exceptional 12-inch robot figure that is one half of the Sideshow Collectibles Militaries of Star Wars Series 1/6 scale Infantry Battle Droids 12-inch Figure two-pack. Although the Trade Federation Infantry Battle Droid are often called "Clankers" by Galactic Republic clone troopers because of how easily they fall, this Sideshow Collectibles 12-inch Battle Droid is one of their most stable figures yet. So much so that Sideshow didn't even feel that they needed to add a 12-inch figure display stand, a norm by now for all Sideshow 12-inch figures. On the contrary and quite ironic is that Sideshow Collectibles Clone Troopers are the ones that are weak at the ankles and are not able to hold most of the poses at all, requiring the figure display stand to help them stay upright or else they will be taking a dive off from the display shelves Tsk Tsk.

As I also mentioned in my part 1 review of this Sideshow Collectibles 12-inch Infantry Battle Droid, the articulation on this figure is pretty amazing. Sideshow claims that the Fully Articulated Battle Droid Bodies have over 20+ points of articulation and while I didn't bother to confirm if that is true, I was most pleasantly surprised at what this 1/6 scale Battle Droid robot figure could do :) Whichever pose I wanted to put it in, it could strike that very pose without any problems at all. The way the arms and fingers / claws could articulate and be moved and posed to hold onto its weapons was a delight.

Kotobukiya - ARTFX - The Avengers Movie - Iron Man Mark VII

With every Iron Man movie that is released, Iron Man fans and Collectors are all eager to see what has changed with the Iron Man armor suits -  what are the new features, gadgets etc. For the toy companies making and releasing the movie merchandise and movie-related products, it's all about how many variants and types of armor they can sell in order the milk the cash cow for all it is worth. So far, for each Marvel Studios Iron Man film, at least three different armors are showcased: Mark I, II and III were featured in the first Iron Man movie released followed by Mark IV, V and VI in Iron Man 2.

Well, the wait is over for the latest Iron Man armor suit. Pictures have been released showing off the newest armor that will be featured in the upcoming The Avengers movie.

This latest Iron Man armor figure wearing the Mark VII is a KOTOBUKIYA Japanese import! After the amazing success and popularity of the Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, and Captain America films, Marvel is preparing to unleash the greatest superhero team of all time in just a few short months. Gathering together the main characters of the previous films to defend the Earth from certain destruction, the Avengers will debut in May of 2012 with Robert Downey Jr. reprising his role as Tony Stark and his heroic alter ego Iron Man. To commemorate the triumphant new appearance of this iconic character, Kotobukiya is proud to announce the all-new AVENGERS MOVIE IRON MAN MARK VII ARTFX STATUE!